Zeilschip op zee 1738 - 1811

Nicolas Marie Ozanne made this print of a sailing ship at sea. It's a humble thing, just lines incised into a copper plate, then inked and pressed onto paper. Yet, it captures the majesty of seafaring. Ozanne was a draughtsman for the French Navy, and he knew his subject intimately. Look closely, and you can see how the etched lines vary in thickness and direction, creating a sense of depth, texture, and movement. The sails billow, the waves crash, and the ship strains against the wind. The print medium itself speaks to the wider context of maritime trade and exploration. Prints like this one were easily reproduced and disseminated, circulating knowledge and images of ships and distant lands. They are a product of an increasingly globalized world, fueled by naval power and mercantile ambition. Ozanne's print reminds us that even the simplest of materials can convey profound ideas about labor, power, and our relationship to the natural world.